


Ranma 1/2 Novelette: One Wish

by TowerofBabel



Category: Ranma 1/2
Genre: Gen, The Eternal Lost Boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-05 18:16:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19045786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TowerofBabel/pseuds/TowerofBabel
Summary: When Maomolin, the 3,000 yr old ghost cat, grants Ryoga's wish, his history with Ranma and co. is changed forever! No one remembers him, but he remembers all of them. How will he restore his history...with one wish.





	1. Ryoga's Wish

He was lost, again!

Ryoga sighed tried. If he didn't have such a lousy sense of direction he'd probably be all right. But his father had the same affliction, he was always getting lost. So, it was only natural that he'd probably inherit it. But he wondered why he couldn't just follow a simple map without going around in circles?

He stopped in a clearing of a forest to get his baring by the stars, but since he had entered a thicket, it had clouded over and it looked like it was going to rain by the look of the clouds. As a precaution, he took out his umbrella to protect himself from a downpour. If he got wet, it would take him twice as long to get where he was going. There was nothing worse than having to travel across country as a tiny piglet. The things he took for gained as a human he had to struggle with as an animal.

His instincts were correct and a droplet of water fell from the sky striking the back of his right hand. He quickly got under his umbrella as the rain began to drop. Seconds later, thunder boomed and lightning ravished the sky. He had gotten under his umbrella just in time. All he needed now was a dry place to ride out the storm. But in the forest, where would such a place be? He knew enough not to harbor under a tree. He was reminded of an old school lesson that to do so was invite being struck by lightning.

But fortunately he was in luck! His salvation had shown its face. It was a small cabin in the middle of nowhere. But what would a cabin be doing out here? The only thing Ryoga could think of as a reason was it must be someone who is camping out. But when he looked inside it looked abandoned… all expect an ample storage of food? It was a stockpile of all his favorite foods! A regular cornucopia of delight!

He couldn't believe it! It was impossible! How was this possible? All this food just left here?

His stomach sang a symphony of hunger.

He reached for hot steaming pork bun on a plate of other delectable and delicious goodies when…

…he jerked awake.

He sat up.

He was in his sleeping bag under a clear, starry night, his campfire exhausted, and his belly growling. He had went to bed hungry because he was unable to forge his dinner.

He sighed disappointed.

If only he turned right instead of left at that intersection along the road - he'd be in Nerima with a full belly. He even might be sleeping in Akane's bed too, as P-Chan of course!

Ah, sleeping in Akane's bed. The thought made him blush, but he liked thinking of it. He had slept in her bed so many times, but as P-Chan. But it felt different when he was an animal. It didn't feel perverted and he didn't get aroused as much as if he were human. It was just… he didn't know how to fully describe it. If she only knew he was human, things would probably a whole lot different. Yes, his life would be shattered, that's what would be different. She would no longer welcome him in her bed, and that would be terrible!

He longed to be with her. His every waking moment consisted of her in his thoughts. And yet at the same time thinking only of her seemed to distract him from focusing on his training. He had to get stronger to defeat Ranma so Akane could see him as a worthy suitor. But again, was he trying to get stronger for himself or only to impress her? A martial artist did what he felt was the right thing to do. But was Akane getting in the way of accomplishing his goal?

But how could he even think that? He was doing this all for her!

And then it struck him…

She was a distraction.

"It's so hard, Akane," he started to say, "sometimes I wish I never met you and yet at the same time I could never imagine my life without you!"

He tried to clear his mind and lay back down to get some sleep, but his thoughts kept racing with thoughts of her.

"I wonder what my life would be without you…"

"I can grant that wish, you know," someone said in the distance.

Ryoga sat up and looked in the direction the voice came from, but it was extremely dark and the light from the night sky was no help to identifying the owner of the voice. But he sensed something…familiar…and suddenly became very nervous, as if he knew what it was. "Oh no…" he said worried, having a strange feeling of being watched.

He quickly rummaged through his sack and grabbed a flashlight and shone it into the darkness in front of him. But to his dismay he couldn't see anything. He moved it from side to side, surveying the area, but there was nothing there. Was he hearing things? Did he imagine that voice? Was he dreaming? But why would he be dreaming of hearing THAT voice?

He flicked off the light and sat in the dark for a few moments. Then when he got that feeling back, the feeling of being watched, he quickly turned it on and got the shock of his life! The light stopped at a large hunk of white fur, and when he shone the light upwards, he saw the face of Maomolin, the 3,000 year old ghost cat.

He let out a startled scream and backed off a meter, up against a tree.

"Mea-llo Ryoga!" the large, hefty looking, white fur cat said in his feline voice, smiling. "Meh! Fancy meeting you 'ere. You lost, too?"

"T-that's none of your business," he said, nervous of Maomolin. The last time he encountered him the situation didn't turn out well.

"I heard your wish, would you like me to grant it?"

Ryoga's brow frowned in confusion. "What wish?" he said.

"The one you made where you wished you never met Akane," he said.

Ryoga's brow rose and he suddenly became angry. "Absolutely not!" he said. "I would never wish anything like that to happen!"

"Then why did you say it?"

"Never mind that."

"You love her, and yet you wonder what your life would be without her?"

"Forget I said anything! Now go away!"

Maomolin snorted angry. "That's no way to talk to a friend," he said.

"You're not my friend. The last time we crossed paths I nearly died of embarrassment when you used me to get to Akane so you could snatch yourself a bride. I refuse to be used in that manner!"

"I did you a favor," he said. "You could never have confessed your true feelings to her if it wasn't for me."

Ryoga gritted his teeth and growled under his breath. "With ears that big I would imagine you hear good," Ryoga said. "For the last time, go away! I never made a wish and would never allow such a wish to be made, ever!"

"But you forget, I still owe you a debt for saving my life from those hungry, rabid wolves in the forest that time. I must repay the debt or I could lose my powers because I didn't fulfill a granted wish."

"No, you don't, and I shoulda let those wolves have you for all the trouble you caused me. You don't owe me anything. Your debt, despite how troublesome, was paid. If ever you granted me a proper wish, it would be that I wish I'd never met you!"

"You don't mean that," Maomolin said.

"I do, with all my body and soul," Ryoga said. "If you feel you still owe me a debt of gratitude for saving your life, then grant me this wish. I wish I had never met you."

Maomolin sighed sad. "Very well," he said. "But the wish is ill-reversible."

"All the better," Ryoga said, he smiled thin. He crossed his arms across his chest. "You've caused me great grief and once you're gone, all the trouble you caused me with Akane will be gone, too! Someday I'll tell Akane how I feel, but the way I did it with you inside me, was just too embarrassing!"

"If that's your wish, then that's what you'll get," Maomolin said. "But a warning; your life as you know it from that moment on, that moment we first met, will not be the same. When you fiddle with history, you alter the future."

"If it means never meeting you, I'll take what destiny deals me," he said. "Now grant my wish and be gone forever from my memories!"

Maomolin folded his arms in front of him and extended his paws a foot in front of his chest. "Maomolin, the 3,000 year old ghost cat, hear-by grants your wish," he said. Then he quickly smirked mischievously before he preformed the history erasure. But Maomolin didn't erase himself from Ryoga's mind, instead he did something else entirely.

There was a bright flash-

-and Ryoga jerked awake from a light sleep. He was laying on the ground, and looked out into the darkness of a forest. He thought he heard a noise, but didn't see anything. Suddenly he sighed, it was all a dream. He still remembered Maomolin.

_**To be continued…** _


	2. Enter Gosunkugi

Ryoga rejoiced when he arrived in Nermia after traveling for a week. In his hand was a bouquet of dead flowers, but they were alive when he picked them a couple of days ago. His journey was tiresome, but he started to feel rejuvenated when he entered town.

By the position of the Sun he determined that it was mid-afternoon. To his utmost surprise he managed to make his way to Furinken High School, where Akane and Ranma went to school. Here, he watched as packs of students in school uniforms left the grounds. School was over for the day.

He waited for Akane, but after twenty minutes she didn't come out. Maybe she had clean-up duty, he thought, and she was still inside. He remembered that when he was in school. With other students, he would have to clean the chalk brushes and sweep the floors. It was part of the school economy drive and a way of giving students responsibility. He always hates it and he didn't miss it for an instant.

He noticed a student standing in front of a tree looking at him. The student's face looked tired, almost malnourished. He had dark bags under his eyes and he was scarecrow thin. In his hand was a paper doll. Ryoga looked back at him with a curious stare. Why is this guy staring at me, he thought. He turned away and looked back at the school doors, waiting for Akane. But strange enough, after a minute, he found himself looking back at the student, who strange was still staring at him.

He decided to go over to him.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked the student.

"I noticed your dead flowers," he said.

"What about them?"

"They're dead," he said. "Why are you carrying around dead flowers?"

"They're for someone," Ryoga said. He took a good look at them, and then decided to drop them, as they didn't look well at all. These weren't in deserving to give to Akane. He would need to pick new ones. "They were alive when I picked them."

The student picked them up and said smirking strangely, "Don't throw them away, they're still alive. All they need is a little T.L.C."

Ryoga looked at him as if he was from a freak show. Then he said, "T.L.C.? But look at them, they're dead."

"All life forms reside in a stasis before death to preserve the last essence of life, and if you can get to them fast enough and with the correct medicine, you can save them and restore then back to their original vibrancy. But not all life forms can be saved."

The creepiness faction was off the scale with this guy. He took a casual step back away as the student gently cradled the dead stems in his arms. "I have to go now," Ryoga said.

As Ryoga turned to leave, the student called out to him, and said, "Hey wait, I never told you my name."

Ryoga muttered, "I never asked for it," and continued to walk away.

"It's Hikaru Gosunkugi," he said. "You're lost, aren't you?"

"That's hardly a secret around 'ere," he said. "I'm known all over town, mostly as the lost boy."

Gosunkugi went over to him, and said, "Don't walk away, I'm trying to be your friend, you don't have any left."

Ryoga stopped and turned to him, and eyed him with disdain narrow eyes. "And what is that supposed to mean?" he said.

"I didn't mean anything by it only that you're a wandering soul," he said, "a soul without purpose, between worlds. I'm a practitioner of voodoo and occult magic, and of supernatural phenomenon, and as soon as I saw you, I knew you were lost."

"I'm always getting lost, that's no secret," Ryoga said.

"No, you don't understand, I talking about your soul, it's misplaced, between worlds, neither having existence or non-existence."

"Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested," Ryoga said, waving him off. "I know how these things work. I've been around. You make me believe I need something and then convince me to buy something to make everything all well again. Well, peddle your goods to someone else."

"I'm not selling anything, I want to help you," Gosunkugi said. "But if you don't want my help, be my guest. I'll be around if you do." Then he handed Ryoga a voodoo paper doll. "Take this, this will help you make you way back to me. It will counteract your lostness."

"I don't need anything from you, get away from me," Ryoga said, pushing back the paper doll. "You're the one who needs help."

Ryoga snorted irate by the encounter with Hikaru Gosunkugi, and then walked off the school grounds.

"I'll look for Akane at the Tendo Dojo, she's bound to be there," he said. But instead of heading towards the Tendo's, he went in the opposite direction; though he didn't know that. He thought he knew where he was going. But that was Ryoga, he didn't! He was lost.

Darkness had fallen upon Nerima when Ryoga finally made it to the Tendo Dojo. He entered the property and walked down the stone walkway to the front door. He then knocked on the door. Since it was dark, he could ask to spend the night.

In his hand was a bouquet of freshly picked flowers he picked from someone's garden along the way. They wouldn't miss them, they had plenty. Besides, he couldn't arrive empty-handed. He thought it would be improper.

The door opened and Kasumi Tendo greeted the visitor with a welcome smile. "Hello; may I help you?" she said.

Ryoga gave an odd smile. "Kusumi, it's me, Ryoga Hibiki," he said. "Is Akane home, I've come to give these flowers to her."

"You must be a school friend of hers," she asked.

That was strange, he thought. Why would she pretend not to know him? It must be a prank. "Kasumi, you know me," he said. "I'm Ranma's…" he hesitated for a moment, then continued, finding a proper word "…friend."

"Oh, you must be one of his friends from school," she smiled happy. "Ranma!" she called out for him. "There's someone here to see you. Would you like to come in?" she asked him.

She escorted him to the tea room and asked, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No, thank you," he said. She left, and entered the kitchen.

Ryoga wondered why Kasumi had not recognized him, he was a family friend – he had been for years.

Ranma bounced down the stairs and came into the tea room. Then he smiled with a big grin, and said, "Hey, what's up!" But then his smile suddenly disappeared for some reason, and he cleared his throat and said, "Sorry, thought you were someone else."

"Nice greeting, Saotome," Ryoga said. "What's the matter with Kasumi? She acted like she didn't know me."

"And why should she know you? Who are you?"

"Don't give me that, Ranma," Ryoga said. "You know who I am, and I've come here to challenge you to a fight."

Ranma's eyes narrowed with the usual tenancy they always did when he was challenged, and his lip curled up angry on the right side. "Look pal, I don't know who you are, but if you wanna fight, I'm perfectly willing to give ya one. Just tell me who you are and what sort beef you have with me and we'll get started. The dojo's in the back."

Ryoga started to get really irate. "Stop it!" he said angry. "I'm not in the mood for games. Where is Akane, I have something to give her."

Ranma took a step forward. "You're not getting anywhere near my wife, pal," he said, squeezing a tight fist at his side. "And whatever you're reason for here has just become unimportant. I want you outta 'ere now."

Shock dawned Ryoga's face, but then it turned red with anger. "Enough of this stupidity; Akane is not your wife, you're only engaged!"

"We've been married for nearly a year, pal," Ranma said. "Even though it was our parent's idea and I hated the idea at first, I came to enjoy Akane's company and I willfully asked her to marry me. We got married a month after. But everyone at school knows this; I haven't seen you at school. How do you know me?"

"We're arch-rivals, we went to Jusenkyo and fell into the springs there," Ryoga said.

Ranma's face tightened up with horrific concern. He grabbed Ryoga's shirt by the collar, gripping it tight. "How do you know that?" he said quickly, sounding angry. "No one knows that! I've told no one at school about that secret of my life. Only my family knows."

Ryoga looked a little worried. "I know, and several others do, including some of the students at your school, I believe," he said.

"No one at school knows," he said adamantly. "Now just who are you, and how do you know my secret?" Ranma demanded to know.

Ryoga pushed him away with both hands and Ranma staggered back a few feet. "You know who I am; I'm Ryoga Hibiki, the guy who you tricked into going to Jusenkyo, in China, and then bumped in as you chased your father, who changes into a giant Panda. I change into a little black pig. I'm also Akane's pet pig."

"Akane's doesn't have a pet pig, she has a cat," Ranma said.

Ryoga paused for a second, his eyes widden confused. "But you're afraid of cats, you shriek at the sight of them," Ryoga said. "You father smeared you with cat food and threw you into a pit of cats and told you to fight them off to learn the Catfist technique. It was part of your training when you were a kid."

"I've never been afraid of cats, and my father never did that," he said, snorting out angry. "He's been dead for nearly a year. I was training with him one day and he had a heart attack."

"What?" Ryoga said. "That's impossible! I just saw him a little while ago, three weeks in fact, and he was perfectly fine."

"You're sick, you know that," Ranma said. "Get outta'ere!"

Kasumi exited the kitchen and said, "Ranma, I heard shouting," she said. "Is anything wrong?"

"Yeah, this guy's leavin' and he's not welcomed back, ever!" Ranma said.

Ryoga was escorted to the door by Ranma, and then had the door shut behind him when he stepped over the threshold.

Ryoga couldn't believe what had just transpired.

"Told ya," Hikaru Gosunkugi said. He was standing under the archway of the Tendo property encloser wall. "They didn't recognize you, did they?"

"You again," Ryoga said. "What are you talking 'bout?"

"Ranma, he didn't recognize you, did he?"

Ryoga went over to him, and said, "And how do you know that?"

"Because you're a wandering soul between worlds, you're living as a corporal being, but your spirit is lost to the world, unknown, unrecognized by those you once knew. Who did this to you?"

Ryoga didn't believe him. "You're in on it, too, aren't you? This is some sort of prank. But it's not funny, not to me." He said.

"This isn't a prank," Gosunkugi said. "Someone or something must have altered the world you knew and changed it to discount you. This is an alternate world where you never existed, either that or your relationships with everyone you knew never transpired. Only a powerful warlock or conjurer could do something like that. Have you encountered anyone like that?"

Ryoga thought. "No, not to my knowledge," he said. He shook his head. "I'm not playing this game. This has to be a trick." He picked up his pack and draped it over his left shoulder. "If Ranma wants to be an idiot-lett'em! But I'm surprised he convinced Kasumi to play along with it. That's not like her. She wouldn't normally do anything like that."

He left the Tendo property and started to walk away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Gosunkugi asked.

"I'm leaving town," Ryoga said. "Maybe when I come back all of this will blow over."

"You can't leave town, we have to fix this, return you back among the existed."

Ryoga stopped, turned to him. "And what's your deal?" Ryoga asked him.

"What do you mean?"

"Is Ranma paying you to try to convince me of this? You're probably a part of this prank too, aren't you?"

"Like I said, this isn't a prank," Gosunkugi said. "When I saw you at school, I instantly felt a cold shiver down my spine and knew you didn't belong and that you were misplaced in the world. I dabble in the supernatural, so I'm sensitive to these kinds of things."

"You're weird," Ryoga finally said.

"Many people have told me that," Gosunkugi said. "But regardless, you're in need of my help."

"I don't need help from you or anyone else. I do things on my own. It's always been like that and that's how I like it."

"You're a lonely guy, aren't you?" Gosunkugi said.

"That's none of your business," Ryoga said. He then proceeded to walk away. "Stay away from me," he then said, and turned a street corner.

But Gosunkugi knew he was going to need his help and followed him.

To be continued... **  
**

 


	3. Ryoga's Realization

Ryoga walked down a narrow side street. On either side were stone and brick enclosures to backyards of semi-detached houses. To him, the concept of living that close to another family was very constrictive. He was of the mind that you needed a piece of property of your own. But this coming from a guy who wandered the countryside without a home to call his own was very pretentious. So he had no right to judge those people who probably didn't have the financial assets to own their own property. It was very judgmental and opinionated of him to think that.

The sun was setting in the West and he had still not made his way out of town yet. The town was a labyrinth of interlocking enclosures that made him feel like an experimental mouse trapped in some elaborate maze as a test subject for on-looking scientists to test his intelligence. But right now he wasn't feeling very smart because he had passed-by the same house three times. This was the fourth time and he finally stopped and took his bearings.

Like ancient astronomers, he determined his location by stars in the sky, but as there were no stars as of yet, he tried to use the sun. But perhaps that was his problem. The sun determined the time of day and not his location. So no wonder he was going around in circles. No, don't blame the sun – he just has a lousy sense of direction!

He looked at the setting sun and gazed at its encompassing beauty, the orange and purple hues that came from a setting such as this was an awesome site. He rarely took time out to enjoy things like this because he was often too busy. And as he looked at the setting sun, he immediately thought of how wonderful it would be to experience this moment with Akane. She would love to watch the sun set. It was also the perfect romantic setting for a couple.

The thought made him blush. He and Akane a couple was a thought floating in his mind for years, ever since he had met her and she took him close to her heart and kiss his nose. He was a pig at the time, but that kiss was the beginning of something very special between them. Despite his curse she still loved him, though she didn't know about his curse. She just thought of him as her pet P-Chan, but he thought being with her in that capacity was better than not at all.

He heard a noise and looked behind him, but the narrow side street was empty. He then continued on his journey and turned a corner.

Gusenkugi followed him. He ventured down the empty side street and turned the corner. Then he halted in his tracks as he found himself face-to-face with Ryoga. His eyes widened with shock and fear, fear of being caught. "Why are you following me?" Ryoga asked him. His eyes narrow and his mouth curled down into an angry frown. "I told you to leave me alone!"

Gusenkugi straightened up from his frightened hunch. But he still wasn't as tall as Ryoga. "But you need my help," he said, almost in a pleading manner-of-speaking, extending his hands outward. "Your soul is lost – out-of-balance with the rest of the world." He continued, "Whatever happened to you – whoever did this – didn't realize the implications of its effect. You must let me help you restore what has happened."

Ryoga took a step back from Gusenkugi. And he was starting to get really annoyed about this joke. "This isn't funny anymore, stop it now! I'm not goin' play this game." But he was starting to think Gusenkugi wasn't part of it. The look in his eyes told Ryoga he was being truthful about all this. But he was often wrong when he read people. He was a pretty good martial artist, but when it came to reading people's expressions – he was as gullible as the next sucker. "Tell Ranma to go to hell!" he finally said. "And you leave me alone or else. I'm a martial artist. Cross me and you'll be sorry."

"I'm not trying to pick a fight with you," he said.

"You sure fooled me, and this little joke is getting old."

"You're not very bright, are you?"

Ryoga snorted under his breath and looked at Gusenkugi with an angry stare. Then he dropped his backpack to the ground and intertwined his fingers and cracked his knuckles. "I've had e'nuff of you," he said. "Whatever Ranma promised you to be a part of his little jape will be nuthin' in comparison to the beating I'm goin' give you now. You better know how to defend yourself."

Gusenkugi took a couple of steps back and felt the urge to run away, however he ignored that instinct and felt an greater urge to stay. Ryoga Hibiki needed his help and he was determined to reverse whatever has happened to him. "No, I'm not going to run away," he said out loud. "I have an obligation to help misplaced souls and I won't surek my duty as a practitioner of magic."

So he reached behind him and pulled out three paper dolls from his back pocket. Then he grabbed a pen from his front right pocket and wrote a spell on each of them. "You wanna fight me, martial artist? Fine! I'll give you a fight. And I'll win too! I'll show you I'm right."

Ryoga smirked slightly amused. This guy looked like he couldn't fight his way out of a horde of hungry kids in a school cafeteria. And Ryoga knew what that felt like. He attended an all boys elementary school and lunch there was like a feeding frenzy. He knew he could take this guy and perhaps afterwards Gusenkugi will get the point and finally leave him alone.

Ryoga flipped his umbrella open, and said, "Are you ready?" to him.

"Ready when you are, but I warn you this won't be much of a fight," Gusenkugi said.

"You can't say that again," Ryoga said, and then threw his umbrella at Gusenkugi. It twirled with lightning speed like a spinning top through the air. Gusenkugi was shocked at just how fast the umbrella was coming at him. But he was pretty fast too. And threw one of his paper dolls in the air in front of him and created an invisible energy barrier that blocked the umbrella from getting through. The umbrella bounced off the barrier and it ricochet to the right. It skipped across the ground and eventually came to a halt several meters away. Ryoga was absolutely stunned with awe. "H-how did you do that?" he said, stuttering the first word.

"I told you, I'm a practitioner of magic and I used a spell on paper dolls to create a barrier to block your umbrella," he said. "It's not difficult to do for an expert." Gusenkugi went over and picked up Ryoga's umbrella. "You want this back?"

Ryoga extended a hand and said, "Yes, give it to me."

"You're going to have to earn it," Gusenkugi said flatly.

"Earn it? And what do you mean by that?"

"Allow me to prove to you that I'm telling the truth about your condition."

"So now I have a condition?"

"Why are you being so stubborn? Shut-up for second so I can explain." He said, feeling a sudden confidence as if he was in charge. He continued. And Ryoga didn't speak. "Someone or something has taken you out of the fabric of time," he started to explain. "I don't know how this was done, but your soul is misplaced and it needs to return or you'll be trapped like this forever. And even after you die, your soul will continue to roam the earth repeating this existence over and over again. You need my help to restore things. Now, I know I asked you this question once before but perhaps in the meantime something has jogged your memory. Did you encounter someone or something that could have done this to you?"

Ryoga thought for a moment. "No," he said. "But I still don't believe you."

"Fine, then allow me to make a physical observation to you to prove my point." Gusenkugi tossed Ryoga's umbrella back to him and then walked past him. Ryoga fumbled with the catch and then reluctantly followed him. Gusenkugi lead Ryoga back to the Tendo Dojo and knocked on their front door. Kusami once again was the person to answer it.

"Hello," she said in her usual friendly tone, "May I help you?"

"We've come to see Ranma Saotome," he said.

"Are you a school friend?" Then she saw Ryoga standing behind him. "I remember you," she said to him. "Ranma told you, you were never allowed back again."

Gusenkugi glanced back at Ryoga and then turned back. "Please, we must see Ranma," he said. "It's a matter of great urgency. I guess you could say of life and death."

"I'm afraid he's not here at the moment," she said. "He and Akane are at the Cat Café spending some time with Mousse and Shampoo. Mousse and Shampoo are getting married in a month and they offered to help with the wedding plans."

"Wedding plans?" Ryoga spat out! "But Shampoo dislikes Mousse with a passion!" Ryoga then said, "Please tell me this is all a joke, Kasumi."

"Why would I joke about that? Mousse came all the way from China to find Shampoo after she left her Amazon Tribe to search for Ranma in Japan."

"Let me guess, Ranma beat her in competition to win a banquet prize of food. Then she gave him the Kiss of Death and didn't stop hunting him, wanting to kill him for humiliating her, but instead ended up wanting to marry him when she found out his Jusenkyo secret."

Kasumi was shocked and her mouth gaped. "Yes, but how did know that?" she said.

"Let's just say that I know," he said. "But what's this business with Mousse and Shampoo?"

"Well, after Ranma and Akane got married, Shampoo resided herself to hunting down Akane instead. Ranma gave her an ultimatum and told her to go back to China. But Mousse presented a challenge to Ranma and told him if he lost Shampoo's obligation to marry him was forfeited. So Ranma fought him and lost – but we all know he did it on purpose. Akane told him to. Shampoo was so impressed with Mousse that she accepted Mousse's offer of marriage. And the rest, as they say, is history."

Ryoga couldn't believe his ears. "But why would Akane agree to marry Ranma in the first place? They always hated the idea of their parents arranging their engagement. This isn't right at all."

"You see," Gusenkugi finally chimed in. "It isn't a joke. Why would she lie to you?"

"I'm-I'm still not convinced of what you're saying," he sputtered out the words. "I want to see proof of their happiness. I need to know the truth that this isn't a prank."

"Why would this be a prank?" Kasumi wondered.

Gusenkugi waved a hand in the air in a don't-worry manner. "It's okay," he said, "he's just confused. I'll take care of him." And he escorted Ryoga off the property and to the sidewalk outside. Ryoga was beside himself with confusion. And Gusenkugi said, "I'll take you to the Cat Café and prove to you what I'm saying is the truth – that you're a lost soul in the fabric of time. See it for yourself. And if you still don't believe me then I'll walk away and never bother you again. Agreed?"

And Ryoga agreed.

_To be continued... **  
**_

 


	4. An Official Challenge To Fight

Gusenkugi lead Ryoga through a maze of streets before they got to the Cat Café. Ryoga tried to make a mental map of where they had come from, but his mind kept on getting distracted by what Gusenkugi had said to him. He had experienced a lot of crazy things in his travels, but nothing as bizarre as being ripped from Time and inserted into a juxtaposed reality where no one had never heard of him.

He was like a tourist attraction in town. As soon as he returned from a training journey, he'd hear remarks from perfect strangers who knew him or had seen him before say: "There's that lost boy again!" He never thought he was a lost boy, that was something reserved for the fictional characters of that children's novel Peter Pan. But he did get lost a lot. But he had gotten the trait from his father, who too, got lost a lot.

When they reached the main entrance to the Cat Café, he stopped for a moment and looked at the restaurant. It was much larger than he had remembered it, the place was twice the size as before. But that didn't mean anything. Perhaps Shampoo had expanded while he was away on his last training journey and if that was the case, he'd have to congratulate her for running a very successful business.

But he felt a great deal of apprehension in entering the restaurant because he didn't know what he'd find. Kasumi had said that Ranma and Akane were here at the Cat Café discussing Shampoo and Mousse's wedding plans. But the thought of Shampoo and Mousse getting married was laughable. Shampoo hated Mousse, or so it appeared whenever Mousse proclaimed his love for her. She was always so apt with Ranma and cast Mousse aside, like an old shoe.

He didn't really take any interest in their relationship, he was involved in his own affair with Akane. But Akane married Ranma? That made him mad!

"How could Akane married a clad like Ranma!" he said out loud.

"Things happen?" Gusenkugi voiced, shrugging his shoulders.

Ryoga's distaste for the situation enveloped him and he burst into the restaurant, his face red with anger. But it quickly dissipated from sudden surprise, when he halted in front of a reception pedestal. And behind the pedestal was Nabiki Tendo, Akane's younger sister. She looked exactly the same as he remembered her.

"May I have you gentlemen?" she said, over the noise of a busy restaurant.

Ryoga jerked his head back and saw Gusenkugi, he had forgotten he was behind him. "Nabiki, it's me, Ryoga Hibiki, I'm a friend of the family," he said. "I've come to see Akane."

She looked in the guest registry book on the pedestal. "Hmm… Hibiki… Hibiki… No, I don't see a Ryoga Hibiki on the list." She said. "Could your reservation be under another name?"

"Reservation? You need a reservation now?"

"This is one of the most popular restaurants in town since my brother-in-law purchased it with my father's dowry," she said. "Since then, he's expanded it to make a lot of money. He kept the name though… Who are you? Do you really know my brother-in-law or are you just trying to get his autograph?"

"Autograph?"

"Well, he is the number one ranked martial artist in the country winning countless tournaments around the world," she said. "I bet you're a fan wanting his autograph. I tell you want I can do. I'll sell you this year's Upper Deck sports card, autographed, for… fifty bucks, taxes included."

Ryoga shook his head confused. "What the hell are you talking about?" he said. "Saotome would never sell out to fight in martial art tournaments for potential gain. That's not the martial artist way."

"Listen buddy! Either buy the card or get out! I'm much too busy." She said.

Gusenkugi put a hand on Ryoga's shoulder and said, "C'mon, let's go."

Ryoga brushed his hand away. "No," he said intensely. "I came here to see Akane and I'm not leaving until I do!" He then burst past Nabiki and into the restaurant, calling out Akane's name. "AKANE! AKANE TENDO, WHERE ARE YOU!"

The restaurant chatter went silent as Ryoga became the centre of attention. Nabiki tried to pull him back, but her efforts were futile. "Sir, please! You're making a scene." She said.

"I don't care! I want to speak with Akane!"

Suddenly, feeling a sudden pressure in the air, he ducked and narrowly missed being hit by a giant Spatula. He looked back who almost hit him and was momentarily shocked, but not surprised, given by the weapon. "Nabiki, I heard the commotion and saw the trouble and came to help," Ukyo said.

"Ukyo, what on earth are you doing here? Are you here to win back Ranma?" Ryoga said.

Ukyo was aghast with his words. "Who are you and why are you making trouble in this restaurant?" she said. "I work here."

"I'm here to make right a terrible mistake," he said.

"Like what, you comin' into this restaurant?" Ukyo said angry.

"What all commotion?" Shampoo said, coming out from the kitchen, through a swinging kitchen door. Then she saw the stranger in the middle of her restaurant with Nabiki Tendo and Ukyo, the fry cook, surrounding him. "Who this then?"

"Someone who's about to leave, right sir?" Nabiki said rhetorically.

"No!" he said firmly. "I'm not leaving until I see Akane Tendo and convince her-"

"Convince me what?" Akane came out of the kitchen in a white apron. And when Ryoga saw her, he blinked twice, just to make sure who he was seeing was really the woman he loved.

"Akane. Is that you? Your hair, it's long." he said, surprised.

"It's always been long, ever since I was a kid," she said, in her usual, high-spirited manner. "And, my name isn't Tendo anymore. I've taken the name of my husband."

The word "husband" almost shattered Ryoga's fragile heart.

"How could you marry a jerk like Ranma Saotome!" His face turned beet red with anger. "I'd make a better provider and suitor that him! I love you!"

_There, I finally said it. I told you I love you!_

"And just who the hell are you?"

Some of the customers were starting to get up from their seats and leave the restaurant, with their meals only half eaten. They obviously didn't want to get involved with whatever was going on. Nabiki tried to convince them to stay, but they wanted no part of this.

"You scare away customers, you notty boy," Shampoo said, very angry.

Ryoga went in closer to Akane and, with his hands on his heart, said, "Don't you know who I am? I'm Ryoga Hibiki, and…" He didn't want to say it, but it might be the only way she'd remember him. "I'm P-Chan, you're beloved pet pig. It's all Ranma's fault; he pushed me into Jusenkyo!"

Akane gasped shocked. "How do you know about Jusenkyo?" she said. "No one knows about that, expect for the immediate family, and maybe a few select others. I've never seen you before in my life, and I don't have a pet pig."

"Because I'm cursed too! And so is Shampoo and Mousse, her groom-to-be. Which in itself is a shocker."

"You make fun of my fiancée?" Shampoo said. "Why me marry Mousse shocker?"

"Because Ranma obviously let Mousse win to get you off his back," Ryoga said.

"Mousse not lose, win fight against Ranma fair and square to win Shampoo's heart!"

"Believe what you will, but I know Ranma better than any of you, and he'd never relent in a fight unless it benefited him personally. That's the kind of selfish guy he is - he only thinks about himself."

Ranma and Mousse both walked through the swinging kitchen door and into the eatery, and Ranma said, "What's all the commotion out here? Akane, the food is burning." Then he saw Ryoga and his eyes narrowed and his lips curled with distain. He clenched such a tight fist at his side that his nails dug into his skin, and dripped blood. "And what the hell are you doing here!"

"I want to challenge you to a fight, Ranma!" Ryoga spat out. "Winner takes all!"

"All of what?" he asked.

"If I win, you divorce Akane."

"Never!" He went over to her and put a shoulder around her. "I love Akane, with all my heart and soul."

Ryoga quickly looked around and then grabbed a glass of water sitting on a nearby table. Then he splashed it into Ranma's face and he changed female. Ranma wiped the water off his face and flicked the wetness off his red shirt. "Okay, now you've done it! If that was an official challenge, then I accept!"

Mousse got a kettle of hot water from the kitchen and poured it over Ranma, changing him back into a guy. Ranma cracked his knuckles, readying himself for the fight.

"Restaurant no place to brawl," Shampoo said, snorting her protest. "Fight, outside."

"Fine by me," Ranma growled angry. "Say you're prays, jerk, 'cause you're about to die young!"

_To be continued..._ **_  
_ **

 


	5. Mamolin's Trick

What was that old western movie with the man with no name? Ryoga thought, as he stood opposite Ranma, on the other side of the street away from the Cat Café. He couldn't remember it, but at this moment, he felt like that main protagonist pitted against that "Ugly" character in a one-on-one showdown. But instead of six-shooters, he'd use martial arts to take down his enemy. As he stood alone, waiting for Ranma to make a move - he reviewed Ranma's fighting stratagem.

Ranma liked to play dirty and to attack swift leaving nothing to chance. But he'd beaten Ranma before on numerous occasions and he thought he'd finally figured his arch rival out. All he had to do was dodge his attacks and tire him out and then strike. It was the perfect strategy and one that couldn't fail. He wanted to win this battle in front of Akane and once and for all prove he'd make the better suitor. Ranma agreed to divorce Akane if he lost, although he thought that demand was a bit over-zealous. Ranma wouldn't divorce Akane in any case. But it was enough of a challenge to rope Ranma into a fight.

Gosunkugi stood on the sidelines with the others, along with a large crowd of people from Shampoo's restaurant. He'd challenged Ranma in front of the entire company of customers inside and he for certain he wasn't going to lose. If someone had pulled him out of his reality and placed him into a different, altered one, then he could start all over. If no one had ever met him, then no one knew the power he held, namely: The Breaking Point and Lion Roar Shot techniques. With those at his deposal, Ranma didn't stand a chance. _But why would anyone do this to me?_ he thought. _What enemy did I make that would use their power over Space and Time and rip me out of the reality as I know it and transport me to a similar, but different reality all together?_ For some reason, he thought Gosunkugi knew the answer. But the creepy guy wasn't talking.

The first move was crucial, and in most cases, it dictated the path in which the battle would take. It spoke volumes about your strengths and, more importantly, your weaknesses. If your opponent picked-up on your flaws, he could devise a strategy to exploit them. That's what Ryoga feared most. This time, however, he'd use his anger as a weapon instead of a crutch.

"C'mon pal, aren't ya gonna attack me?" Ranma said, batting him on.

But he shrugged off his instinct to attack first. "I'm waiting for you," he said.

"Fine, be happy too!" Ranma said, and then attacked. He charged towards him, crying out a battlecry, and then attacked him. Ranma was trying to hit him, but he foresaw his punches in advance and easily dodged them. "What's gonna on?" he then said annoyed. "Aren't ya gonna fight me?"

Ryoga obliged and gave Ranma a swift uppercut to the chin, his fist crunching underneath his jaw, tossing him back and to the ground. Ryoga looked at his clenched fist and eyed him, and then said, "Is that what you wanted?" Then Ryoga batted him, wiggling two fingers to come at him again. Ranma jumped to his feet, and attacked. And again, Ryoga easily dodged his punches and kicks. Ranma would normally use his _Chestnuts Roasting Over An Open Fire_ technique, but wasn't. Ranma won all his fights by using his speed and what techniques he'd picked up from Cologne, but now, he wasn't utilizing any of them. He looked like any typical martial artist, showcasing typical moves. "I thought you were the National Martial Arts Tournament Champions, Saotome?" he then said.

Suddenly his confidence get the better of him and bobbed in the wrong direction. Ranma delivered a punch. And with lightning speed, despite not using the Amaguriken, his fist hit him in the right cheek hard, and he staggered back from the blow. He felt his face and looked at Ranma in surprise. Ranma was smirking, squeezing a tight fist. "That's for insulting my wife!" he said.

Ryoga let his fingers caress down his cheek slowly, feeling the blow, as he smiled amusingly. "That felt like a baby's punch," he said.

"A baby's punch!"

"Where's your real power? All those techniques Cologne showed you."

"Ya want power? I'll show ya power, pal!"

And he attacked again. But this time, as he faked a punch to Ryoga's face, and when Ryoga went to dodge it, he ducked, twirled around, got behind him, and elbowed him in the lower back. Ryoga gritted his teeth and grunted in pain as he collapsed to his knees, falling to his hands and knees. He felt his back. "What the hell was that!" Ryoga said confused, looking at him.

"My own style of martial arts," Ranma said. "Several different techniques in one, but that was merely a taste of what's to come, pal! How's ya like it?"

Ryoga rose to his knees, still feeling his back. Despite a little discomfort, it didn't hurt. Besides, he'd been hit harder than that before. "That was a cheap shot. Is that something new for the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts?" he questioned.

"Anything goes martial arts? What's that?" Ranma said.

Ryoga looked at him with confusion, narrowing his eyes. "It's the whole premise of which your martial arts is based on, yer father created it," he said.

"My father taught me a lot of what I know, but not everything. That's the second time you've mentioned my father. Did you know him?"

Ryoga didn't answer him as he got to his feet. "Stick to the _Chestnuts Roasting Over An Over Fire_ and the _Heaven Blast of the Dragon_ techniques, you're more suited to them," he said ambiguously.

"And what are those?" Ranma asked confused.

Ryoga looked at him perplexed. "What did you do, hit your head or somethin'? I was there, I saw ya learn'em."

"Look pal, I have no idea what you talkin' about!"

"I've had e'nuff of this crap!" Ryoga then spat out angry.

He then attacked Ranma, delivering a hard head butt to his face. Ranma staggered back, putting hands over his face, cursing out profanities. When he removed his hands, his nostrils were dripping blood.

"I think yer broke my nose, yer bastard!" he said angry, his teeth clenched tight.

Feeling unbridled angry, he then charged Ryoga, running at full throttle towards him, like a bull seeing red. Reading his moves, Ryoga sidestepped to the right, extended an arm out and clothed-lined him. Ranma flipped around and landed face first to the ground.

"Ranma!" Akane cried out. "Are you okay?"

But he hadn't been knocked out. Rolling over, he got to his knees and looked up at Ryoga, growling angry. "That's the Ranma I know, get angry," he said.

Akane suddenly ran out into the battlefield and went to her young husband's side. She touched his chin and looked at his cuts. "Ranma, I think you should stop," she said. "He obviously has more skill than you."

"No, he just got lucky," Ranma said, and he swatted Akane away. "I can take'em!" Ranma got to his feet and Akane backed away, returning to the sidelines. "'Kay pal, the gloves are off now. I thought yer an amateur and under estimated you. But now no more Mr. Nice Guy. Which, by the way, just happens to one of my favorite movies!"

Ranma quickly sunk down and preformed a leg swept knocking his opponent off his feet. Ryoga fell flat on his back, hitting the back of his head against the hard ground. Then Ranma backed off to safe distance.

Ryoga felt the back of his head. "What the hell was that?" he said, looking at Ranma.

"Now things are gonna get serious!"

Ranma again charged, but Ryoga was ready for him and prepared a defense. "You of all people should know never to openly expose yourself like that to me," Ryoga said, and rose a finger. Ranma should've stopped forewarning him of what was about to happen, but he didn't.

Ryoga snorted a smirk and brought his finger down to the ground, touching it. But to his shock, nothing happened. His Breaking Point technique didn't work.

Ranma flipped and then slid underneath him, delivering a devastating kick to Ryoga's groin, using the flat of his feet for the most devastating impact. And when Ryoga was distracted with the pain, he rolled right, got to his feet, got behind him, grabbed both his arms, twisted them back, and gave him a hard kick to his upper back, forcing him to jerk back. Snap!

Ryoga cried out in pain. Ranma flipped back over him, and stood before him, confidently.

Ryoga felt like his shoulder joints had been dislocated and he dropped his arms to his sides, reeling in the pain. This was new for Ranma. He had never done anything of this nature before. Normally he'd use one of his special techniques, using his Ki to attack, causing much more damage. All he was doing now was physical acrobatics. But it was working.

"How'd'ya like that pal?" Ryoga beared his angry fangs. Ranma smirked, amused. "I knew you'd like that one. How about another, there's plenty to go around. That was but one of my many revised techniques I have in my repertoire for this street fight. Of course, these moves are illegal in tournament competition, but anything goes here."

Ryoga held his arms close to his chest and as the pain started to subside was relieved that his arms were not disjointed. "You're different somehow," he said.

"And how would ya know that? We just started fighting."

"'Cause I know your style and this aint it."

"Maybe I'm not the person you think I am," Ranma said.

And then it hit him, he wasn't the person he knew. This was a whole completely different version of Ranma, who didn't know the special techniques of the Amazon Tribe for which Cologne was leader.

"Akane is my wife, stay away from her!" Ranma barked out.

"I love her! She doesn't deserve an uncaring brute like you!" He then looked at his finger, and said, "Why didn't my _Breaking Point_ technique work? It never failed before."

"You mean that stupid finger trick? That was pathetic. Did you think that would distract me so you could perform some other move? I'm not so easy tricked. I've fought some of the toughest martial artists in the world and no one's tried anythin' that stupid!"

"My Bucsitengets was suppose to work. Why didn't it?" Ryoga said utterly confused. "I did it flawlessly, just like all the other times before."

"Just fight, what's with ya, man!"

"I don't understand," he said, and then tried it again, touching the ground with a single finger. Nothing happened.

Ranma saw an opening and took advantage of the situation. "If you won't fight me, then I'll take you down!" He jumped high in the air and then roundhouse kicked Ryoga to his face and head. Ryoga twirled around 360 degrees and hit the ground hard. Oof! "Martial arts ain't 'bout fancy tricks, pal, it's about usin' what you've learned and trainin' your body to beat' yer opponent in the least amount of moves. That's how I became National Champion. Outwit, Outthink, Outlast. That's the martial artist way."

Ryoga rose to his hands and knees. "Enough!" he said, and got to his feet, whipping blood from the corner of his mouth. "I didn't want it to come to this, but it's the only way. The Shishi Hokodan!"

He closed his eyes, clenched his fists, and started to summon all his negative energy for a huge Ki blast.

Ranma cocked his head slightly. "And what the hell is that?" he said. But where there should've been a huge ball of Ki above his head, Ryoga saw nothing. "What the hell are yer lookin at?" Ranma then said.

"My Ki, where's my Ki?" Ryoga said. He tightened his fists again and closed his eyes, summoning up all his negative thoughts and energy, but the Shishi Hokodan didn't work.

He dropped to his knees, his arms outstretched, "Why doesn't any of my techniques work?" he asked rhetorically.

"You're freakin' me out, man," Ranma said, weird-out. "Just fight me."

"Ranma, why don't you remember me?" Ryoga suddenly cried out, tears forming in his eyes. He walked to him on his knees. "I'm Ryoga Hibiki. We were in junior grade together, both of us fell into Jusenkyo - we're rivals, don't you remember?" he said all quickly.

Ranma backed away from him, instinctively disturbed by his opponent's sudden erratic behavior. "I've never seen you before you showed up at my house," he said.

Ryoga turned his attention to Akane. "Akane!" he shouted. "Don't you remember me!" Ryoga grabbed his head in despair and cried. "What's happening? Who did this to me? Why doesn't anyone remember me? Why don't my techniques work?"

Gosenkugi went over to him and then stood beside him. He put a hand on Ryoga's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. Ryoga looked up at him, tears in his eyes. He then saw a bottle of water in his hand and panicked. But before he could escape, Gusenkugi soaked him.

He tried to swat the water away, because he knew his curse would activate and change him into a pig right before everyone, but seconds passed and nothing happened. He looked at his human hands and felt his wet face. "I didn't change," he said both relieved and confused. "What happened to my curse?"

Ranma stepped away. "Get away from me with that water!" he said in a panic.

Gosunkugi stepped towards him. "In this reality, you may not be afraid of cats, but you're still afraid of people knowing yer deep secret, that when splashed with cold water you change into a girl, Ranma," he said. "Now get away from Ryoga, or I'll reveal yer secret to everyone!"

"Both of you are totally nuts!" Ranma said, and then quickly ran away. He went to Akane on the sidelines.

"Are you okay, Ryoga?" Gosunkugi asked him.

"I don't know," he said, utterly confused.

"The reason why you didn't change, Ryoga, is because you never met any of these people - your past is a clean slate," Gosunkugi started to explain. "So, in never crossing paths with them, none of the events that changed and altered your life, happened."

Ryoga looked at him utterly perplexed. "Who are you? Did you do this to me?" he asked.

"Nit's not nice to be forgotten, nis it?"

And Ryoga gasped, recognizing the voice.

Ryoga jerked awake in a panic, and found himself laying underneath a large oak tree inside his sleeping bag. Was it all a dream? He asked himself. Then he looked straight ahead and screamed in fright as he saw two large, bright, white feline eyes staring at him from within the darkness like some sort of devil. He looked around and saw that he was in a forest, the very same forest he was when he met up with the Ghost Cat. "You mean, it was all a dream?" he said.

"Ne-yes, all an illusion with my me-a-jec," Mamolin said. "Nu wished that nu forgot me, but ne-I turned the tables and made everyone forgot nu."

Ryoga snorted angry, and looked at Mamolin with narrow eyes, curling his lip. "Why in the world would you do something that? That was horrifying!"

"Ne-I did that to teach nu a lesson."

"What lesson?" Ryoga said.

"To ne-ever make a wish like that. Nit's not nice to be forgotten, nis it?"

Ryoga felt an anger swell inside of him, but then something hit a cord and he found solace in the Ghost Cat's words. "You're right," he said. "But I didn't make that wish. You did it all. So I still have one wish, right?"

"Ne-yes. But I'm tired. Ne-I'll catch nu at another time."

"Wait!"

Mamolin faded into the darkness before Ryoga could question him further or make another wish.

The next day he made it to town and to the Tendo Training Hall without getting lost.

He made his way to the Dojo where he saw Ranma practicing his martial arts. "Hey buddy, long time no see," Ranma said to him, noticing him.

Ryoga suddenly smirked. "You remember me?" he said.

"Of course I remember you. You hit yer head or sumthin'?" Ranma said.

Akane popped up behind Ryoga suddenly and she made him jerk with surprise. She said, "Oh hi Ryoga! You've been gone a long time. We're just about to have lunch, you wanna join us?"

Akane's sweet voice was music to his ears and he smiled at her. "I'm so glad to see you, Akane; can I ask you somethin'?" he said.

"Anything," she said.

"You're not married to Ranma, are you?"

She seemed to get annoyed by the question. "Certainly not! That insensitive jerk?!"

"Tomboy!" Ranma rebuked, sticking out his tongue at her.

"Why would you ask such a thing?"

Ryoga sighed deeply, smiling gently. "I'm so glad," he said.

As Ryoga followed Akane to the house, Ranma scratched the back of head confused, cocking his neck slightly. "What in the world was that all 'bout?" he said confused, and then headed to the house.

END

 


End file.
